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Together, we can help save endangered wildlife

Our Approach

100% of your donation supports the species of your choice

Our Approach

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We help conservationists carry out their best ideas to protect wildlife.

Learn About Our Approach

Our Strategies

To ensure people and wildlife can coexist and thrive, WCN employs three core strategies—supporting the most effective Conservation Partners with the funding and resources they need to protect wildlife, creating Wildlife Funds that provide flexible grants to a wide range of organizations that protect a specific species across its entire range, and investing in the education and career growth of Rising Wildlife Leaders who are shaping the future of

Conservation Partners

We find the best entrepreneurial organizations and invite them to receive in-depth, ongoing support by joining our Network of Conservation Partners. We provide our Partners with the financial resources, tools, and services they need to effectively protect wildlife. Conservationists in our Network work within local communities to find solutions that address the needs of both wildlife and people.

Learn More

Wildlife Funds

We establish Wildlife Funds when we see a need and an opportunity to protect threatened wildlife across a larger landscape. By providing specific, short-term funding to projects from institutions big and small, we harness the power of multiple organizations working to save a species throughout its entire habitat. 100% of donations to WCN'S Wildlife Funds go directly to the field, with zero overhead.

Learn More

Rising Wildlife Leaders

Conservation thrives when local conservationists have the support they need to protect wildlife. We invest in these brave women and men to strengthen their skills, build their organizations, and advance their careers in conservation. Through scholarships and grants, we provide support to the local people who are shaping conservation in their home countries, ensuring we have a greater and more sustainable impact for wildlife.

Learn More

Our Strategies

To ensure people and wildlife can coexist and thrive, WCN employs three core strategies—supporting the most effective Conservation Partners with the funding and resources they need to protect wildlife, creating Wildlife Funds that provide flexible grants to a wide range of organizations that protect a specific species across its entire range, and investing in the education and career growth of Rising Wildlife Leaders who are shaping the future of

Conservation Partners

We find the best entrepreneurial organizations and invite them to receive in-depth, ongoing support by joining our Network of Conservation Partners. We provide our Partners with the financial resources, tools, and services they need to effectively protect wildlife. Conservationists in our Network work within local communities to find solutions that address the needs of both wildlife and people.

Wildlife Funds

We establish Wildlife Funds when we see a need and an opportunity to protect threatened wildlife across a larger landscape. By providing specific, short-term funding to projects from institutions big and small, we harness the power of multiple organizations working to save a species throughout its entire habitat. 100% of donations to WCN'S Wildlife Funds go directly to the field, with zero overhead.

Rising Wildlife Leaders

Conservation thrives when local conservationists have the support they need to protect wildlife. We invest in these brave women and men to strengthen their skills, build their organizations, and advance their careers in conservation. Through scholarships and grants, we provide support to the local people who are shaping conservation in their home countries, ensuring we have a greater and more sustainable impact for wildlife.

Conservation Partners

Wildlife Funds

Rising Wildlife Leaders

Okapi

The gentle, mysterious okapi live only in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and though they appear to be half-zebra they are actually the closest relative of the giraffe.

Learn About Okapi

Andean Cats

The Andean cat is one of the rarest and least known cats in the world; fewer than 3,000 exist in the mountains of South America.

Learn About Andean Cats

Ethiopian Wolf

The Ethiopian wolf is the rarest and most endangered canid in the world.

Learn About Ethiopian Wolves

Cheetah—Namibia

Cheetahs are famous for their speed and agility but are also one of Africa’s most endangered big cats.

Learn About Cheetahs

Orangutan

Orangutans play a critical role in keeping forests healthy, but are Critically Endangered due to habitat loss and their low reproductive rate.

Learn About Orangutans

Gorillas

Gorillas are strong and social beings, yet they face threats from habitat degradation and disease transmission.

Learn About Gorillas

Dolphins and Dugongs

Marine mammals play important ecological roles as both predator and prey, but unfortunately, marine mammals in Malaysia are threatened by over-fishing, by-catch, boat traffic, plastic pollution, and noise pollution.

Learn About Dolphins and Dugongs

Sharks and Rays

Sharks and rays are essential for healthy oceans, but are vulnerable to human threats like pollution, climate change, and overfishing.

Learn About sharks and Rays

Snow Leopard

The strikingly beautiful but endangered snow leopard remains one of the world’s most mysterious and rarely seen cats.

Learn About snow LEopards

Cotton-Top Tamarin

The tiny cotton-top, which weighs less than a pound, are found only in northwestern Colombia and are one of the most endangered primates in the world.

Learn About Cotton-tops

Saiga Antelope

The saiga antelope has been around since the Ice Age and once numbered in the millions; today only 40,000 survive.

Learn About Saiga

Spectacled Bear

Spectacled bears, also known as Andean bears, are the only bear species in all of South America.

Learn About Spectacled Bears

Pangolins

Pangolins have the unfortunate distinction of being the most illegally trafficked wild mammal in the world. All eight species of pangolins are threatened with extinction.

Learn About Pangolins

Small Wild Cats

Most people are familiar with big cats, but few could name the 33 species of small wild cats living all around the world.

Learn About Small Cats

Lion—Ewaso

Kenya is home to less than 2000 lions. In Northern Kenya, outside protected areas, lions and people are learning to coexist.

Learn About Lions

Macaws

Macaws are renowned for their beauty, intelligence, and charisma, yet due to their slow reproductive rate very few remain in the wild.

Learn About Macaws

Grey Crowned Cranes

Grey Crowned Cranes are a symbol of longevity, but unfortunately are threatened by habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade.

Learn About Grey Crowned Cranes

Grevy’s Zebra

Less than 2,500 Grevy’s zebra exist today; these special animals are distinguishable from other zebras by their larger size and round “Mickey Mouse” ears.

Learn About Grevy’s Zebras

Rhinos

Today, fewer than 26,000 rhinos remain in Africa and Asia. Poaching for their horns and habitat loss continuously threaten the future of these distinctive giants.

Learn About Rhinos

Penguins

There are 18 different penguin species living throughout the Southern Hemisphere, 55% of which are listed as threatened.

Learn About Penguins

Lion—Niassa

Niassa National Reserve in Mozambique is one of the last great wild places on Earth and one of the important remaining strongholds for the African lion.

Learn About lions

Elephant

Elephants are among the world’s most intelligent, sensitive and social animals, possessing both empathy and family values.

Learn About Elephants

Cheetah—Botswana

Botswana provides a home for approximately 30% of the earth’s remaining 7,100 cheetahs, it is the only country where their population remains stable.

Learn About Cheetahs

Painted Dogs

Painted dogs have highly social and complex packs and approximately 100,000 dogs existed in the 1900’s, but now only 7,000 dogs are thought to remain.

Learn More About Painted Dogs

Okapi


Andean Cats

Ethiopian Wolf


Cheetah—Namibia


Orangutan

Gorillas

Dolphins and Dugongs

Sharks and Rays

Snow Leopard


Cotton-Top Tamarin


Saiga Antelope


Spectacled Bear

Pangolins

Small Wild Cats

Lion—Ewaso


Macaws

Grey Crowned Cranes

Grevy’s Zebra

Rhinos

Penguins

Lion—Niassa

Elephant

Cheetah—Botswana

Painted Dogs

Okapi at Epulu breding center

Okapi

The gentle, mysterious okapi live only in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and though they appear to be half-zebra they are actually the closest relative of the giraffe.

Learn About Okapi

cropped and flipped_Jacobo 10_Andean cat_credit Juan Reppucci AGA

Andean Cats

The Andean cat is one of the rarest and least known cats in the world; fewer than 3,000 exist in the mountains of South America.

Learn About Andean Cats

Ethiopian Wolf_credit Rebecca Jackrel_RRJ_EWP157

Ethiopian Wolf

The Ethiopian wolf is the rarest and most endangered canid in the world.

Learn About Ethiopian Wolves

Steve Mandel cheetah pack

Cheetah—Namibia

Cheetahs are famous for their speed and agility but are also one of Africa’s most endangered big cats.

Learn About Cheetahs

Orangutan_Credit Greg Hume

Orangutan

Orangutans play a critical role in keeping forests healthy, but are Critically Endangered due to habitat loss and their low reproductive rate.

Learn About Orangutans

Mountain Gorilla

Gorillas

Gorillas are strong and social beings, yet they face threats from habitat degradation and disease transmission.

Learn About Gorillas

Irrawaddy Dolphin (MareCet)

Dolphins and Dugongs

Marine mammals play important ecological roles as both predator and prey, but unfortunately, marine mammals in Malaysia are threatened by over-fishing, by-catch, boat traffic, plastic pollution, and noise pollution.

Learn About Dolphins and Dugongs

Sharks MAR

Sharks and Rays

Sharks and rays are essential for healthy oceans, but are vulnerable to human threats like pollution, climate change, and overfishing.

Learn About sharks and Rays

©Eric Ash - Snow Leopard - Rain Leopard_flipped

Snow Leopard

The strikingly beautiful but endangered snow leopard remains one of the world’s most mysterious and rarely seen cats.

Learn About snow LEopards

cotton_top_Credit PT_KATIE G.AS Abril 2016

Cotton-Top Tamarin

The tiny cotton-top, which weighs less than a pound, are found only in northwestern Colombia and are one of the most endangered primates in the world.

Learn About Cotton-tops

saiga_Eugeny Polonsky

Saiga Antelope

The saiga antelope has been around since the Ice Age and once numbered in the millions; today only 40,000 survive.

Learn About Saiga

Photo Credit Spectacled Bear Conservation_Photo Sbcperu- Wild female spectacled bear (laura) - Dry Forest Peru

Spectacled Bear

Spectacled bears, also known as Andean bears, are the only bear species in all of South America.

Learn About Spectacled Bears

Sunda pangolin (Suzi Eszterhas)

Pangolins

Pangolins have the unfortunate distinction of being the most illegally trafficked wild mammal in the world. All eight species of pangolins are threatened with extinction.

Learn About Pangolins

Ocelot rests on a tree.

Small Wild Cats

Most people are familiar with big cats, but few could name the 33 species of small wild cats living all around the world.

Learn About Small Cats

Ewaso Lions_2 lions_crop

Lion—Ewaso

Kenya is home to less than 2000 lions. In Northern Kenya, outside protected areas, lions and people are learning to coexist.

Learn About Lions

Great Green Macaw

Macaws

Macaws are renowned for their beauty, intelligence, and charisma, yet due to their slow reproductive rate very few remain in the wild.

Learn About Macaws

Grey Crowned Cranes

Grey Crowned Cranes

Grey Crowned Cranes are a symbol of longevity, but unfortunately are threatened by habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade.

Learn About Grey Crowned Cranes

Grevy's zebra_Jeff Bonner

Grevy’s Zebra

Less than 2,500 Grevy’s zebra exist today; these special animals are distinguishable from other zebras by their larger size and round “Mickey Mouse” ears.

Learn About Grevy’s Zebras

White rhino (Susan McConnell)

Rhinos

Today, fewer than 26,000 rhinos remain in Africa and Asia. Poaching for their horns and habitat loss continuously threaten the future of these distinctive giants.

Learn About Rhinos

Susan McConnell Penguin (4)

Penguins

There are 18 different penguin species living throughout the Southern Hemisphere, 55% of which are listed as threatened.

Learn About Penguins

maned lion_SueMcConnell_J7I7805-Edit

Lion—Niassa

Niassa National Reserve in Mozambique is one of the last great wild places on Earth and one of the important remaining strongholds for the African lion.

Learn About lions

TomStahlWCN_Elephants-14

Elephant

Elephants are among the world’s most intelligent, sensitive and social animals, possessing both empathy and family values.

Learn About Elephants

cheetah_Ken and Michelle Dyball

Cheetah—Botswana

Botswana provides a home for approximately 30% of the earth’s remaining 7,100 cheetahs, it is the only country where their population remains stable.

Learn About Cheetahs

painted dog_WillBurrard-pdc-12

Painted Dogs

Painted dogs have highly social and complex packs and approximately 100,000 dogs existed in the 1900’s, but now only 7,000 dogs are thought to remain.

Learn More About Painted Dogs

1 / 24

Your Support in Action

With the continued support of generous donors, WCN is helping conservationists protect endangered wildlife across every continent. Our 100% model ensures that any donation designated for a specific species goes directly to the conservationists protecting that species, with zero overhead taken out. In our first 20 years, WCN raised over $268M to protect wildlife, their habitats, and the people who live alongside them, creating a lasting and continuously growing impact for conservation.
Learn More

1,060 Grey Crowned Cranes Recorded

RWANDA WILDLIFE CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION (RWCA) sixth annual census involved extensive aerial and ground surveys across all of Rwanda. Census results showed an increase in crane numbers—the first time the population has risen above 1,000 and more than double the amount of cranes present in Rwanda since RWCA first began their work.

5,000 People Participating in Community Camera Trap Program

NIASSA LION PROJECT’S (NLP) community camera trap program engaged people from eight villages across Mozambique’s Niassa Special Reserve. Every photo of wildlife they collected was converted into income awarded to the villagers by NLP. This program helps NLP assess wildlife distribution across the Reserve and offers local communities a tangible incentive to participate in wildlife conservation. So far, over $25,000 has been earned by these communities for the collection of wildlife images.

44 New Painted Dog Pups Were Recorded

PAINTED DOG CONSERVATION (PDC) counted 44 new pups last year during their monitoring of 10 packs in Zimbabwe—the largest number of packs they have ever tracked at once. PDC also studied the Mpindothela pack, which is composed of painted dogs previously cared for in PDC’s rehabilitation facility. Their continued survival emphasizes the importance of PDC’s integrated approach and direct intervention through rehabilitation.

WCN Joins Dr. Jane Goodall on KQED's Forum

Jean-Gaël "JG" Collomb, CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Network, appeared on KQED's Forum today alongside Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, and...

Read More

Capturing Conservation Through a Personal Lens

Community engagement is vital to conservation success—it allows conservationists to involve local people in the management and protection of the...

Read More

Climate Change Threatens Antarctica's Emperor Penguins

A grim phenomenon took place in Antarctica’s Bellingshausen Sea in spring of 2022. Researchers have determined that, due to climate...

Read More

The Community That Lives With Elephants

On the edge of Kenya’s vast Tsavo West National Park lies Lake Jipe—one of the country’s most important wetlands and...

Read More

Helping Ranchers Live Alongside Grizzlies

With the heavy chain slung over her shoulder, Stephanie Barron climbed up the makeshift ladder along the tree trunk. Steel...

Read More

Guardians of the Simien Wolves

Anxiously waiting for his colleague to return, Getachew Assefa sat in his tent under a blanket of stars above. The...

Read More

New Paths to Human-Elephant Coexistence

The Save the Elephants Human-Elephant Coexistence team treaded carefully, avoiding the broken stalks of the farmer’s ruined maize field. He...

Read More

Elephant Conservation Helps Fight Climate Change

Much of the scientific knowledge on how large herbivores maintain biodiversity and contribute to carbon storage in their ecosystem comes...

Read More
All News & Stories
One of Naramat's cubs - Ewaso Lions

News Update

WCN Joins Dr. Jane Goodall on KQED's Forum

Jean-Gaël "JG" Collomb, CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Network, appeared on KQED's Forum today alongside Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, and... Read More
Painted Dogs (Susan McConnell)

Stories: Painted Dog Conservation

Capturing Conservation Through a Personal Lens

Community engagement is vital to conservation success—it allows conservationists to involve local people in the management and protection of the... Read More
Emperor Penguin pair (Steve Mandel)

Stories: Global Penguin Society

Climate Change Threatens Antarctica's Emperor Penguins

A grim phenomenon took place in Antarctica’s Bellingshausen Sea in spring of 2022. Researchers have determined that, due to climate... Read More
STE_Anthony-Ochieng-Lake Jipe (Anthony Ochieng/Save the Elephants)

Stories: Save the Elephants

The Community That Lives With Elephants

On the edge of Kenya’s vast Tsavo West National Park lies Lake Jipe—one of the country’s most important wetlands and... Read More
Grizzly Bear (Brett Sayles)

Stories: Scholarship Program

Helping Ranchers Live Alongside Grizzlies

With the heavy chain slung over her shoulder, Stephanie Barron climbed up the makeshift ladder along the tree trunk. Steel... Read More
Ethiopian wolf - Adrien Lesaffre

Stories: Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program

Guardians of the Simien Wolves

Anxiously waiting for his colleague to return, Getachew Assefa sat in his tent under a blanket of stars above. The... Read More
Elephant - Frank af Petersens

Stories: Save the Elephants

New Paths to Human-Elephant Coexistence

The Save the Elephants Human-Elephant Coexistence team treaded carefully, avoiding the broken stalks of the farmer’s ruined maize field. He... Read More
Forest Elephants (Sergey Uryadnikov)

WCN Update

Elephant Conservation Helps Fight Climate Change

Much of the scientific knowledge on how large herbivores maintain biodiversity and contribute to carbon storage in their ecosystem comes... Read More
Photography Credits: Jeff Bonner, Will Burrard, Saloni Bhatia, Ken and Michelle Dyball, Daniel Haesslich, Rebecca R Jackrel, MarAlliance, Steve Mandel, Susan McConnell, Jon McCormack, Frank af Petersens, Proyecto Tití, Corey Raffel, Juan Reppucci, Navinder Singh, Tom Stahl, Jack Swenson, SBC Peru, Martin Harvey, Jean-Francois Lagrot, Christian Sepulveda, John Dickens, Ruben Digilio, Steve Potter, Colleen Begg, Albert R.Salemgareyev, Sea Sense, Peter Lindsey, Spectacled Bear Conservation, Greg Hume, ©Andrew Peacock/www.footloosefotography.com, Asma Hersi, Will Burrard, Suzi Eszterhas (pangolin)
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